As of: February 2, 2024, 10:07 a.m
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Public buses are at the depot due to a warning strike.
© Thomas Frey/dpa/Symbolic image
Empty stops, more car and bicycle traffic: local public transport almost came to a standstill in Saxony on Friday.
Verdi speaks of a success at the start of the warning strike.
Leipzig/Chemnitz - Local public transport (ÖPNV) in Saxony was almost paralyzed on Friday morning.
The reason is an all-day warning strike called for by the Verdi union.
According to the union, nothing was going on in the major cities of Chemnitz, Dresden and Leipzig.
This was less pleasant for the passengers, but a complete success for the employees, said Chemnitz union secretary Sina Rothe.
Exact figures should not be available until late morning.
The stops in large parts of Saxony were deserted in the morning.
Only a few commuters waited for the few bus lines that were still running.
In contrast, car traffic on the streets in the city centers had increased significantly, and cyclists were also out and about more than usual in the morning rush hour.
“There are no trams in Leipzig.
The vehicles remained in the depot,” said a spokesman for the Leipzig transport company when asked in the morning.
Only a few buses from subcontractors are on the road.
The situation was comparable in the state capital Dresden.
“Almost nothing is running, neither trams, ferries nor buses,” said a spokesman for the Dresden public transport company when asked.
Only in the outskirts of the city are a few buses from companies in operation that are not affected by the warning strike.
In Chemnitz too, public transport is almost at a standstill.
“There are no trams and only a few bus routes that are operated by subcontractors,” explained a spokeswoman for the transport company.
The Citybahn, a connection through Chemnitz city center, is on the way and also well used.
Verdi had called for a day-long warning strike and expected a very large turnout.
In Saxony, in addition to the municipal transport companies in Chemnitz, Dresden, Leipzig and Zwickau, employees of the regional bus companies in the districts of Zwickau, Erzgebirgskreis, Central Saxony, Meißen, Saxon Switzerland/Eastern Ore Mountains, Bautzen and Görlitz were also called upon to stop work.
The S-Bahn and the municipal bus companies Plauener Omnibusbetrieb GmbH and Verkehrsgesellschaft Vogtland were not affected by the warning strike.
In Saxony, the collective bargaining dispute is about a so-called collective agreement.
Above all, it regulates the working conditions for employees.
Verdi is calling for, among other things, an increase in vacation entitlement, the introduction of time bonuses for Saturday work or overtime bonuses.
In many places, school transport was also affected by the restrictions.
“The school principals are already experienced in strikes and are well informed,” said a spokesman for the State Office for Schools and Education on Friday.
However, communication between parents and the school is important.
“If getting to school doesn’t work at all, parents should, if necessary, deregister their children from school in good time.” In general, however, the compulsory attendance remains.
dpa